前苏联共合国乔治亚这一阵子流行用水蛭治疗疾病,以往欧洲人会用水蛭治疗痔疮,乔治亚人把这项疗法发扬光大,用来治疗其他疾病。 7 r% G( }. Z! C" p ]2 w1 y: H1 G$ h/ q- v9 k( M) E
乔治亚很多诊所都提供水蛭疗法,病人得先跟诊所买一只水蛭,更年期妇女先把水蛭放在脖子上,经过一、二十分钟,水蛭吸完血,身体膨胀4倍,就可以取下,接着医师再把另外2只水蛭放在这名妇女上下牙龈上,等吸完血再取出,医师在患者伤口上贴上绷带,就算完成治疗。接受过治疗的妇女说,她们在更年期会出现的潮红和盗汗都有明显改善。: ]- j" w9 a/ m4 h
; R8 Z; w) M+ a6 A人在德国 社区 另外,有一些高血压或是经常性头痛病人,也会用水蛭疗法降低血压,或是治疗头痛。一名医师说,不但乔治亚人用水蛭治病,乌克兰、波兰、甚至德国,也有不少人接受这种疗法。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de% w5 @8 Y$ f8 R
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) k0 B: E+ I! ?( }4 j/ x. K! \rs238848.rs.hosteurope.deWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011$ K5 V1 I+ z ]; b2 k k: S& O9 i
- ~8 ~% J% W9 W( Y# n: c# Q; MLeeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits. % B! s. a, p/ I+ Z9 o* b* m* M. S# Q人在德国 社区rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de5 b8 c- p8 ^" b' S& w+ S
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.人在德国 社区3 Z7 q( f. N) a% D! `; j
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That idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia.9 x8 F! K) K3 h: B/ |, T( x4 K
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.